Thursday, December 24, 2009

The gift that keeps on giving

I'm sure Bob DeLeo and Terry Murray know, to the second, how much time is left in 2009. And I somehow envision them standing on Murray's Statehouse balcony a week from now as the seconds tick down.

But unlike Tom Finneran and Tom Birmingham. these legislative leaders wouldn't be haggling over budget details. More likely they would toast the end of a true annus horriblus, a year that will be remembered in both branches by the involvement of county, state and federal prosecutors.

The Speaker and the SP each received an additional lump of coal in their stockings in this season of giving.

DeLeo of course resisted the effort of four dissidents (whose sights are clearly aimed at his crown) to detail how almost $400,000 in taxpayer dollars were used in the DiMasi case. It turns out, or so we have been told -- that the money was used on document searches at what could be considered bargain legal rates.

The pre-Christmas letter from prosecutors could hardly be welcome in the Speaker's wood-paneled lair.

“Given the facts presented in the materials which accompany your letter, it does not appear that the government’s case would be affected in any way by such a release,’’ Brian Kelly, chief of the public corruption unit in the US attorney’s office, wrote back Tuesday to the lawmakers, led by state Representative Lida Harkins, a Needham Democrat.

Of course that amounts to spiked egg nog compared to the lump of coal handed Murray by Anthony "Pepsodent" Galluccio, who failed his blood alcohol level tests, claiming toothpaste intoxication.

While there appears to be some evidence, somewhere, that the defense is not total foolishness, Galluccio's insistence to press on politically just adds to the nightmarish time that, until now, would be remembered more for the ongoing saga of Dianne Wilkerson's undergarments.

The Cambridge senator, who caught a break by being confined to his house and not the house of correction, didn't help his cause in a scene described by the Globe:

“I have and will continue to live up to every commitment that I have made and every agreement that I have made,’’ he said as he left the courthouse with two public relations consultants at his side.

In fairness to Murray, she has done everything she can, short of convening lawmakers to oust Galluccio after he pled guilty to the charge of leaving the scene of an accident. But maybe it is time for just that, although Galluccio can't be there since he isn't even allowed in the Senate chamber before his Jan. 4 court appearance.

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Bob and Terry. Next year has to be better. And a special thanks from me for all the wonderful opportunities for blogging.